Pelargonium plant named &#39;amri dered&#39;

ABSTRACT

A  Pelargonium  cultivar particularly distinguished by its bright, rich red flower color and double flowers is disclosed.

GENUS AND SPECIES

Pelargonium×hortorum L. H. Bailey

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘Amri Dered’

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofPelargonium, botanically known as Pelargonium×hortorum L. H. Bailey, andhereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Amri Dered’. The newcultivar was propagated from a seedling resulting from the cross of8691-2, a dark red-flowered, unnamed, unpatented proprietary Pelargoniumline and ‘Rumba Fire’, a scarlet-flowered Pelargonium (U.S. Plant Pat.No. 12,489).

The new cultivar was created in 2000 in Gilroy, Calif. and has beenasexually reproduced repeatedly by vegetative cuttings in Gilroy, Calif.over a four year period. It has also been trialed at Gilroy, Calif.,Litchfield, Mich., and Andijk, The Netherlands. It has been found toretain its distinctive characteristics through successive asexualpropagations.

DESCRIPTION OF PHOTOGRAPH

This new geranium plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographwhich shows blooms, buds, and foliage of the plant; the colors shown areas true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographicprocedures. The photograph is of a 4 month old plant grown in alexan-covered greenhouse with normal zonal pelargonium culture.

FIG. 1. shows overall plant habit while the inset photograph show acloser view of the mature inflorescence.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘Amri Dered’. The data which defines thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inGilroy, Calif. The plant history was taken on seven-month-old plantsgrown in 1 gallon pots in a poly-covered greenhouse during thefall/winter season. The color readings were taken under natural light inthe greenhouse in the late winter season. Color references are primarilyto the RHS Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London(RHS) (2001). Texture description data were collected by viewing plantparts with a dissecting microscope.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

-   Classification:    -   -   Botanical.—Pelargonium×hortorum L. H. Bailey.        -   Common Name.—Geranium.-   Growth:    -   -   Form.—Upright, outwardly spreading and rounded growth habit.        -   Growth and branching habit.—Good vigorous habit, well            branched.        -   Height.—15-23 cm as measured from soil level to top of            plant, excluding blooms; 20-25 cm from soil level to top of            umbels.        -   Width.—35-45 cm excluding umbels.        -   Time to produce a finished flowering plant.—8-10 weeks.        -   Outdoor plant performance.—Has good weather tolerance; used            in hanging baskets, patio or mixed containers.        -   Time to initiate and develop roots.—12-28 days.        -   Root description.—White, slightly pubescent, fibrous yet            coarse.-   Leaves:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.        -   Immature leaf.—Color: Upper surface: RHS 146A Lower surface:            RHS 146B Length: 4.5-4.7 cm Width: 5.5-7.5 cm.        -   Mature leaf: Color: Upper surface: Between RHS 146A and RHS            146B Lower surface: RHS 146B Length: 6.0-6.5 cm Width:            10.0-10.5 cm.        -   Zonation color.—Faint shading of RHS N199B.        -   Zonation diameter.—1.5-2.0 cm.        -   Apex description.—Rounded.        -   Base description.—Cordate.        -   Shape.—Reniform.        -   Margin.—Crenate; somewhat sinuate.        -   Texture.—Pilose, velvety.        -   Venation.—Palmate.        -   Venation color.—RHS 144A.        -   Petioles.—Length: 9.0-10.0 cm Diameter: 0.35 cm Color: RHS            144A Texture: Pilose; some glandular hairs.-   Stems:    -   -   Length.—20-25 cm.        -   Internode length.—1.0-1.5 cm.        -   Color.—RHS 144B.        -   Texture.—Pilose; many glandular hairs.-   Flower buds:    -   -   Diameter.—0.7-0.9 cm.        -   Length.—0.9-1.3 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptical.        -   Color when sepals first divide.—RHS 45B.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—An umbel composed of 13-16 flowers.        -   Umbel diameter.—8.0-9.0 cm.        -   Umbel depth (height).—5.6 cm.        -   Blooming habit.—Continuous blooming throughout the growing            season; good floriferousness.        -   Peduncle.—Length: 14-15 cm Diameter: 0.5 cm Texture: Pilose;            many glandular hairs Color: RHS 144A.        -   Pedicel.—Length: 1.7-1.8 cm Diameter: 0.1 cm Texture: Many            glandular hairs Color: RHS 144A.-   Flowers:    -   -   Flower form.—Polypetalous; mostly imbricate petals and            petaloids, semi-double form consisting of 7-9 petals and 1-3            petaloids.        -   Flower diameter.—4.5-5.3 cm.        -   Flower persistence.—An open flower will hold its petals            until the flower begins to dehisce, 7-10 days.        -   Fragrance.—None.-   Petals/petaloids:    -   -   Petal size.—Length: 2.5-2.9 cm Width: 2.3-2.7 cm.        -   Shape.—Obovate.        -   Apex.—Rounded.        -   Base.—Acute.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture.—Papillose.        -   Upper petal color.—Upper surface: Velvety RHS 44B but            brighter and richer, with basal veining a faint RHS 46B            Lower surface: RHS 44B with streaks of RHS 44A basally.        -   Lower petal color.—Upper surface: Velvety RHS 44B but            brighter and richer, with basal veining a faint RHS 46B            Lower surface: RHS 44B.        -   Upper petaloid color.—Upper surface: Velvety RHS 44B but            brighter and richer, with basal veining a faint RHS 46B.        -   Lower petaloid color.—Upper surface: Velvety RHS 44B but            brighter and richer, with basal veining a faint RHS 46B.        -   Color change with age.—Colors do not change with age but may            change with temperature and time of year.-   Sepals:    -   -   Number of sepals.—5, one larger than the others; fused at            base.        -   Length of sepals.—0.9-1.0 cm.        -   Width of sepals.—0.2-0.4 cm.        -   Shape.—Oblanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acuminate.        -   Texture.—Pilose, villous; many glandular hairs.        -   Color.—RHS 144A.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens.—4-6, sometimes fused to petaloids.        -   Filament color.—RHS N155B but whiter.        -   Filament length.—0.6 cm.        -   Pollen color.—RHS N30A.        -   Pollen amount.—Scant to moderate.        -   Pistil.—1.        -   Pistil length.—0.9 cm.        -   Stigma color.—RHS 42A.        -   Style color.—RHS 39A.        -   Style length.—0.8 cm.        -   Fruit set.—Not observed.-   Disease and insect resistance: Not observed.

COMPARISON WITH KNOWN CULTIVARS

When the instant plant is compared to the female parental cultivar8691-2, ‘Amri Dered’ has double flowers, no zone on the leaf, andupright habit with better branching than 8691-2. When ‘Amri Dered’ iscompared to the male parental cultivar ‘Rumba Fire’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No.12,489), ‘Amri Dered’ has dark red flowers, is more free flowering andhas a lighter and narrower zone on the leaves than ‘Rumba Fire’.

‘Amri Dered’ differs from the comparison variety, ‘Rocky Mountain Red2003’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,961) by having larger leaves, a shadedarker flower and more petals than ‘Rocky Mountain Red 2003’.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Pelargonium plant as shown anddescribed herein.